ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bank — for money
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. clip — a video
  6. chip — for betting
  7. clip — to cut
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. march — music
  14. mug — to rob
  15. march — the month
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lean — thin
  18. mug — a cup
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. march — the month
  22. mug — a face
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com